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A NICU Christmas: Some parents celebrate baby's first holiday in the hospital

When your child's in the NICU, it's easy to feel torn, a York Hospital nurse said of the holiday.

By STEPHANIE REIGHART Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated:
12/26/2012 10:00:49 AM EST

York, PA -

Josh and Jessica Ginter surprised each other this year with the perfect Christmas gift: a healthy baby boy.

While the Ginters knew parenthood was approaching, they didn't expect to meet their son until the end of January.

Callan Joshua Ginter was born seven weeks premature on Dec. 10. At just over 4 pounds, he was a "good size" for how early he was, but he still needed a feeding tube, a ventilator and time to grow, the Ginters were told.

So while other families spent Christmas surrounded by the din of extended family ripping open gifts with gusto, the Ginters sat quietly in a Continuing Care Nursery at York Hospital with Callan carefully wrapped inside his "Santa's Little Helper" onesie. His baseball-sized head covered in a wisp of brown hair under a red-and-green beanie was cradled in his father's arms.

"We are so thankful for our Christmas gift," Jessica said.

* * *

For the most of Jessica's pregnancy, things were moving along as expected.

She was gaining the right amount of weight, her ultrasounds looked normal and her baby was growing.

"I enjoyed being pregnant," Jessica said.

Other than a little fatigue, she was rarely bothered by her pregnancy.

In her 32nd week, things started to change.

After a sleepless night, Jessica headed to work as a medical assistant at a pediatric clinic. Throughout the morning, she felt intense pain in her abdomen that wouldn't go away. Her diaphragm felt tight and she was short of breath.

"I just figured he was pushing on my lungs," Jessica said. "I thought I was just being a wimp; that I had a higher pain tolerance than that."

Gifts sit on a table next to Callan Joshua Ginter's bed in the Continuing Care Nursery at York Hospital. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

After trying some over-the-counter pain medications without relief, a colleague took her blood pressure. It was exceedingly high.

Her obstetrician, who works at the same clinic, drew blood for clues to her symptoms.

The blood work showed a rupturing of red blood cells, elevated liver enzymes and a lowered platelet count. Jessica had developed HELLP syndrome. Untreated, her enlarged liver could rupture, leading to seizures and stroke, Jessica said.

There is only one cure to the life-threatening obstetric complication: prompt delivery.

After being admitted to the hospital, Jessica called Josh at his work.

He headed straight there, "but she didn't tell me until I got there that she wasn't leaving with the baby," Josh said.

Matt Wayne, left, a former Yorker and now actor and magician in New York is on a wall outside the York Hospital NICU along with others who were once cared for there as babies and grew up to be healthy adults. (DAILY RECORD/SUNDAY NEWS - PAUL KUEHNEL)

Jessica had a cesarean section because Callan was not in the right position.

Despite confidence that delivery would be successful, Jessica was scared.

"My only reaction was, 'you're taking my baby,'" she said. "I knew he had a great chance of survival, but it was really scary. I had no control."

The surgery went smoothly and Callan started crying as soon as he was delivered.

"I heard him cry," Jessica said. "It was the best feeling ever."

* * *

Like all new parents, Josh and Jessica spend most of their time thinking about their baby. All other tasks tend to fall to the side, like Christmas, which didn't get much attention in the Ginter house.

"You lose track of time," Jessica said. "It doesn't really feel like Christmas," and getting in the spirit just isn't a priority.

The staff at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is aware that families are overwhelmed.

"No parent prepares for this," said Kelly Poole, a neonatal care nurse at York Hospital.

And at a special time like the holidays, parents can feel torn, she said.

"A lot of families have older children that need them at home," Poole said.

And some parents live outside of the county. They travel as often as they can to visit, she said.

"It's so hard for them to stay away," she said.

The staff works to provide a festive environment for parents -- visits from Santa and donated, homemade hats -- but extended family members are not allowed.

The risk of infection to the newborns is too high, Poole said.

"We always have to remember that this is an intensive care unit," she said.

Seven newborns spent their first Christmas in the Continuing Care Unit at York Hospital, most of it asleep.

They are spending all their calories growing and staying warm, Poole said.

"If they aren't sleeping, their brains aren't developing," she said.

* * *

At two weeks old, Callan is off the feeding tube and ventilator. His weight ticks higher everyday and he fusses with hunger every three or four hours.